Shangled
by Ash Katchadourian
Summary: This is a piece of fiction created/distributed solely for the personal, non-commercial enjoyment of myself and a few It is in no way approved, affiliated, or sponsored by Disney or anyone Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely Note: this isan AU where Shang and Rapunzel have never met Mulan and Happy Anniversary Brelizabeth!
1. Meeting

The walk was exhausting. He'd been at it for hours, so many that he'd lost track of them. The horse he'd travelled with had needed to be changed, but the stable where he'd left him hadn't had any others. Shang, ever the soldier, decided to go forward on foot. Now, with the pinprick of needles in his calves, he was slightly regretting the decision. As a trained soldier, a captain even, he was used to such conditions. But the journey seemed harder, lonelier without a battalion of troops following. It also didn't help that he had no idea where he was going.

He was in pursuit of some 'great treasure', though he wasn't too pleased about it. He had work to do, an army to train. As an army captain, he couldn't be expected to go on these frivolous and useless quests. But his mother had prayed to the ancestors, wondering what was best for her only son. And they had somehow conveyed to her that the only way to secure his happiness and success was to send him to Europe after a great treasure. It would have been dishonourable to say what a load of crap he thought that was, so he'd appointed his next in command to current captain and set off. And now what? He was travelling to unknown places for unknown reasons, when important things were happening at home.

His body was aching from the heat and weight of his armour, but as he moved further he noticed that the scene was really quite beautiful. It was a deep ravine, with patches of green grass and moss along the rocky limits of the expanse. Slim trees, with full, green leaves were scattered about, and a thin stream of cornflower blue water poured down the cliff-side and into a small river. But what struck him most was the tower; sleek and tapered, covered in moss, and completely on its own. Maybe the desolate turret was where his supposed 'great treasure' awaited him. After all, with the way the sun hit the purple tiles of the roof, it seemed as if the place was calling out to him.

As he approached it, Shang circled the base of the tall stone structure looking for a door or opening. To his surprise, there wasn't one; only the window that was several feet higher than the ground. He called out, wondering if there could possibly be someone in there. A moment later, a long, yellow waterfall fell out, nearly touching the ground. It seemed to be made of a strange, hair-like material. With a shrug, Shang gripped it and began to climb…

Rapunzel had just said goodbye to her mother, a few hours ago. She had once more expressed her desire to see the floating lights that often filled the night sky around the time of her birthday. And once more, Mother Gothel had tossed the idea out like day-old milk. She'd insisted that the world was far too dangerous for a girl as sweet and delicate as Rapunzel, especially with her good nature and unwavering innocence. Even though Rapunzel was eager to examine the world, the way her mother described the unwashed citizens that would be creeping about, attempting to swindle her gold away from her, or trick her into awful situations, well…it _did_ make her quite nervous. Still, she couldn't help but being more than a little upset over the situation.

It wasn't that she didn't trust her mother's guidance. She'd have been a fool not to. After all, who had spent more time out in the world—her or her mother? No, she knew she was right…but Rapunzel had a burning desire to see those floating lights up close, to take them in. No book had been able to explain to her what they meant, and her mother wouldn't tell her since she had no cue either. The only way to get the answers she sought was to leave the tower on her birthday and go deep into the kingdom.

Rapunzel brushed her long, golden hair as she sulked, pouting a little. Yet her mother had forbidden it; her utmost wish turned away without a second thought. Completely and utterly forbidden it with a flat out 'No'. It was too dangerous for a girl to be wandering on her own on her own in the kingdom. _Especially_ a girl like Rapunzel who didn't know the first thing about street smarts. But singing and painting and brushing her hair over and over and over again was starting to get old. How much longer could she go on like this?

She tugged a thick rope of blonde hair in towards her, so she could get to the ends, noticing a fleck of green in all that yellow. She giggled as the chameleon lost its grip on her silky tresses, righting itself again by another blonde strand.

"Sorry Pascal," she apologized with a laugh, eyeing her only friend with a mixture of joy and sorrow. Sighing, she continued to brush at her hair when she heard a sound from down below. It was strange, since her mother had left only moments before. Perhaps she'd forgotten something, Rapunzel wondered, feeding her hair through the large silver hoop. Absentmindedly, she worked her hair like a pulley as she'd done countless times before, knowing that no one else would think to visit this strange tower. With a grunt, Rapunzel began to pull her hair back up…

Shang was pleasantly surprised to find that the silky rope he had gripped retracted itself. That meant that he wouldn't have to over- exhaust his already tired boy. He decided that he'd examine the area, maybe ask whoever was in for a bowl of soup or some other form of nourishment, and then head off again. Unless, of course, this first stop proved to be whatever his ancestors were trying to get him to accomplish. But things never happened that easily, did they?

Rapunzel was noticing how much heavier her mother was compared to usual. She found her arms growing tired when only half of the journey had been made, her forehead perspiring a little, as well. Of course, she wouldn't make a comment on the woman's weight. It would be unnecessary, uncalled for, especially if she'd come back to get something for the long trip she had ahead of her. With one final tug, she pulled the person through the window. Shock and confusion filled Rapunzel when she finally saw the face of the individual who she had pulled into her home.

It was not her mother, but a tall, burly gentleman. His skin had a rich, warm bronze look, one that reminded Rapunzel of just how long she'd been inside this tower and out of the sun's reach. He wore a brigandine that consisted of black metal plates along his chest, shoulders, and skirted around his waist, with matching gauntlets and leg guards. Black, leather shoes protected his feet, and a magnificent royal red cape was secured around his shoulders. The man's jet black hair was knotted atop his head with a matching red strip of cloth, and he looked serious and intimidating. Rapunzel screamed in terror, plucking up her trust black frying pan and holding it above her head like a weapon.

Shang was perplexed. The stranger before him could have nothing to do with his quest. She was tall but thin, just a wisp of a girl. Her skin was a tannish peach colour, her eyes bright green, lashes fluttering as she blinked at him in confusion. She wore a purple gown with pink accents, a firm corseted bodice, and a white petticoat beneath. The tops of her sleeves were puffed and striped purple and pink, though it tapered into a softer, lighter colour and a sheer fabric. Her feet were bare, and she looked positively delicate. But what struck Shang most was the miles and miles of golden hair that filled the room and flowed directly from her scalp. Before he could even comment on the phenomenon, the girl had lifted up a frying pan and had flung it up above her head.

Shang was an army captain, and so it was with great ease that he dodged her attack, hearing her startled cry as the black skillet struck with all its force onto the ground. She turned around to face him again, terrified by his physical agility. Perhaps this was the reason her mother had always warned her not to go outside. This strange man in the cape could very easily have been one of the monstrous miscreants that she'd been told about all her life. With speed, Rapunzel threw the frying pan at him, aiming for his head. She screamed again as she did so, and was extremely worried when he ducked so that the weapon missed him. Instead, it hit a bookshelf behind him where an array of her favourite novels had been stacked in alphabetical order.

" I just organized that!" Rapunzel exclaimed in rage, giving the stranger a look of contempt. With unbridled anger, she flew towards him, hands balled into fists. There was no way she was going to let this stranger kill her. She'd fight him tooth and nail before she let that happen.

The oncoming assault wasn't entirely unexpected, but even so Shang didn't really think she'd attack him. Anyone could see from their size difference alone who the champion would be. As she launched at him, Shang ducked a little so that her body landed over his shoulder. He held her firmly there, ignoring her kicking and screaming and the rivulets of movement in her long hair. He placed her onto a chair with confidence, doubting that she'd try anything again.

" My apologies, Miss—" Shang was beginning, when he felt a tiny fist hit him in the face.

He stumbled backwards, mostly in shock, even as a rope of blonde looped its way around him and prevented movement. Triumphantly, Rapunzel, pulled him into the chair with her hair, ignoring the throbbing in her wrist from the impact of the hit. She'd never hit someone before.

"Alright, Mister," she began, drawing her brows together as she gave him an intimidating glare. " Just **_what_** do you think you're doing?"  
"My ancestors have sent me on a quest," Shang answered, keeping his eyes trained on the plucky blonde.  
" Oh…" Rapunzel hadn't really expected him to respond so easily. In fact, she was counting on him being the silent warrior type, protecting his secrets and scaring young girls. Shaking off her confusion, she fired another question at him, " Why are you in my house?"  
" I didn't know anyone was home," he admitted, his tone sober and serious. " I've been travelling for a while without food or water. I only intended to stop here for a quick rest and refuelling before heading back on my way."  
" AHA!" Rapunzel pointed a finger at him, her eyes gleaming with righteous integrity. At this point, Pascal had crawled up her hair and onto her shoulder, appearing to also give the foreigner a look of distrust. " You were pillaging the village, and you were going to pillage this tower too!"  
" No, I was going to leave gold coins as payment," Shang insisted, unable to show her the proof since his hands were not nearly as useful to him under the current situation.  
" Right," Rapunzel scoffed, rolling her eyes. " Likely story."  
" I swear," Shang told her fiercely. If there was one thing he was not, it was a liar. " I wouldn't risk causing my ancestors or family the shame that would come from stealing."  
Rapunzel stopped for a minute, biting her bottom lip as she thought about it. He sure was convincing. But, then again, he could just be a world class performer. Weren't most thieves? " Just a minute," she said politely, scurrying to the other end of the room with her green friend.

She whispered a bunch of possible ideas to the chameleon, hoping beyond hope for Pascal to guide her. Instead, he only stared blankly at her, unable, she supposed, to formulate a good plan for her to enact. Rapunzel decided that the only way to figure out what to do was to ask the intruder more questions. But she wasn't evil. If he was truly as hungry as he said, she couldn't go on letting him starve. She scurried down the stairs and into the kitchen, her long hair trailing behind her. Heating up a bowl of the vegetable and meatball soup that was on the stove, she placed it on a tray along with a spoon, two bread rolls, and a tall glass of water. She brought it all upstairs, setting it on the table directly beside the chair that she'd secured him to.

"What's your 'quest' about?" she asked him, waiting to see if his behaviour would change.  
Shang eyed the food longingly, but then brought his eyes back to her. In the same tone as before, he said, " Before I can regain my position in the Chinese Army, I must follow my ancestors' advice and travel until I find a great treasure." Knowing that this _could_ sound like larceny, he hastily added, " The treasure can come in the form of an object, an event, or some great enlightenment. Either way, I haven't come across it yet." His words about 'great enlightenment' struck her, and Rapunzel unwound her hair from his person. Shang nodded gratefully, saying, " Thank you." With a glance in the direction of the food, he asked, " May I?" When she agreed, he withdrew three gold coins and pressed them into her palm, bowing a little with respect.

As he began to eat, Rapunzel once more consulted the green chameleon. He seemed adamantly against her plan, but what did he know? He was just a lizard, after all. And based on the way the past few moments had gone, Rapunzel felt as though the stranger had more reason to fear _her_ than she did him. She held the shiny coins in her hand, holding them up to the sunlight and watching the light dance across them. Never before had she held money; she'd never have reason to. This could have just been the beginning. It could be the first in a long line of new experiences that the stranger could provide her with.

" I'm Rapunzel," she told him, smiling brightly and holding a hand out to him. " What's your name?"  
"Captain Li Shang of the Chinese Militia," he replied, shaking her hand somewhat too firmly.  
" Ow…" Rapunzel said, pulling her hand back and holding it to her chest. With another bright smile she said, " Cool." After a moment's pause, she nervously said, " Hey, 'Captain Li Shang of the Chinese Militia'?" When he looked at her in response, still biting into a piece of bread, she asked, " Can you take me with you?"


	2. Departure

Shang was very adamant at first about leaving Rapunzel in the tower. Not only would she slow him down in his initial goal, but he couldn't help but warn her away from the unsound decision to travel God only knew where with an absolute stranger. When she insisted on accompanying him, despite this disclaimer, he had the impression that she would let nothing get in her way. And the way Shang saw it, it was better that she left with him than the next man who came pouring through her window. Who knew what kind of creep that would be? Shang prided himself on his honour and would never let a young woman brave the world alone.

Rapunzel untied Shang triumphantly, dusting her hands together. She'd known it was only a matter of time before he caved, and she was pleased as punch when he finally did. Using her hair again, she lowered them to the ground. Barefooted, she could feel the grass on her skin, slightly damp from the morning dew. The air was neither crisp nor heavy, but the perfect combination; warm enough so that one could stand unmovingly and still be sufficiently heated, and yet cool enough that one could do this whilst being comfortable.

"This…is…AMAZING!" she squealed in delight, flinging her arms out and throwing her head back. She inhaled so deeply she could almost taste the pollen from the surrounding plants and the water from the river adjacent. The soft whooshing of the river and the melodic chirp of birds battered her auditory senses. She felt in that moment that she had never been so big, nor so small. It took her on an emotional rollercoaster that bordered on panic and she ran towards the river, to get a better look at it.

Shang watched her in confusion, furrowing his brows as he contemplated her actions. She was giggling and screaming, and at moments, it appeared she was crying. She pressed her ear to the grass, to hear something Shang could only assume was profound and thought-provoking. She splashed at the river water with her hand, and then, ecstatic, raised the hem of her dressed and stepped in, splashing about and cheering. Shang, of course, looked away. It was only polite to excuse he mental break or whatever it was she was going through. She started to chase a butterfly, her long hair twisting around a tree. She disappeared for a length of time, with only the blonde sea of hair streaming behind her. Suddenly, he heard a gasp. Quick as lightening, Shang followed the trail of hair to the source, and found the girl's hands held up to her mouth in shock.

"What is it?" Shang demanded, his eyes scouting the area for a predator even as he placed his hand at the hilt of his sword.  
"The tree trunk," Rapunzel murmured in a dazed voice. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to the tree tightly, casting her large green eyes up at his dark ones. "Honestly, can you believe it?"  
"Forgive me, but I do not understand your strange customs," he had begun to relax again, stowing away his warrior stance and extrasensory abilities for a later time. Right now, it would seem that he had to practice the more difficult art of conversing with the blonde before him.  
"It's…rough," Rapunzel said, letting go of his hand and placing both of hers on the tree trunk. She eyed the brown cylinder with awe and wonder, explaining her fascination. "You see, I always figured that…that tree trunks were soft. And smooth. Like the wood we use for tables and chairs and all that other stuff. But it's not." Closing her eyes, Rapunzel pressed her cheek to the tree and rubbed her face against the bark. "It's _rough_."  
"That is the bark of the tree," Shang told her, giving her a very basic analysis of the situation. "Not all trees have bark of the same coarse nature, such as birch and alder, of course, but in general the bark is just as you've noted. One should remove the bark from the lumber before using it to make any sort of furniture. The wood beneath the bark is smooth." When she only opened her eyes and examined the tree with newfound knowledge, Shang furrowed his brows as he puzzled over her reaction. "You _have_ of course seen a tree before, right, Miss?"  
"Not a one," she murmured gleefully, enveloping the tree into a hug. Pulling away, she tossed Shang a grin, "And you don't have to call me 'Miss', you know. Rapunzel's fine." She paused and laughed, "It's not like you expect me to call you 'Captain'." She caught sight of the look on his face, and her large eyes widened in mild shock as she bit her lip. "Oh…sorry."  
Keeping up with her line of thinking was proving to be more exhausting than he'd anticipated. If she didn't call him 'Captain', then that would be a significant breach in protocol. But, then again, perhaps being where he was made that okay. He was nowhere near his regiment, he wasn't even in China. So a more colloquial term of greeting might prove useful and even appropriate. As Shang contemplated all this, his mind returned to the first thing she'd said. "This forest is full of trees," Shang pointed out, trying to understand what she had meant. "How have you never seen one before when you live so close to these ones?"  
Rapunzel's cheeks flushed a little, stepping away from the tree and hugging her hips with her arms. "My mother never let me out of the house," she explained, tucking a long strand behind her ear. Looking behind her to see that long line of gold reminded her of the reasoning. Her hair was special, it had healing properties that many in the kingdom would covet if they learned of it. But that was a lot to spring on someone, wasn't it? _Hi, I'm Rapunzel, and I have magic hair that glows_. Instead, she went on with a simpler, albeit more vague explanation. "She always said it was too dangerous for a girl like me. That I was…better off, you know, just staying in the house where it was safe."  
" That's not practical at all," Shang told her, confusion and logic meshing together. "Preventing you from mingling with others has inhibited your personal and intellectual growth. There is no way you have the life skills one would expect from a young lady like yourself." Pausing, he gave a respectful bow of his head and added, "Although I'm sure your mother has her reasons."  
A small, uncertain smile pulled up the corners of Rapunzel's mouth. She nodded emphatically, adding, "Yes, I'm sure she does." Clearing her throat, she looked around curiously. "So where exactly were you headed, anyway?"

Shang hadn't given Rapunzel much to go on about the direction of their trip. He'd just mumbled some vague words about a 'quest', and left it at that. All in all, she wasn't too worried about it. Once they got into town, she'd ask around about the floating lights and finally be able to see them up close. Shang was too focused on wondering how her addition to his journey might impede on his pursuit of purpose. They walked along the river bend, Shang's head held high, a fierce look on his face, and Rapunzel practically skipping behind him. Pascal, her green friend, was either entangled in her golden locks or perched upon her shoulder, depending on his mood. Rapunzel was humming any song that came to mind, trying to keep the quiet journey as fun as possible. Eventually, she couldn't trudge on in near silence any longer.

"So, you're not going to ask?" Rapunzel inquired, clasping her hands behind her back as she hurried her pace to walk by Shang's side.  
" Ask what?" Shang replied, his eyes still facing straight ahead. He couldn't let his guard down on this trip; he didn't know the terrain well or the area, and couldn't be sure what kind of threats awaited them. Besides, Rapunzel's catchy songs had already caused him to lose focus more times than he'd care to admit. It was better not to encourage her.  
" About my hair," she tilted her head to one side jovially, a small giggle bubbling from her mouth. " It's kind of…super long, in case you haven't noticed."  
" I noticed," Shang told her, still keeping his head up. It had seemed peculiar to him, but not any more peculiar than the fact that she'd never been outside of her home.  
" So, you're not going to ask?" Rapunzel repeated, feeling slightly disappointed. Her hair was one of her defining qualities, and something so exciting, yet she didn't get to share it with anyone. Though talking to the Captain about it would alleviate some of the tension, she knew she couldn't take the chance that he wasn't after the power it held. Still, it wouldn't kill him to show a little interest.  
" When you would like me to know, you will tell me," he told her honestly, actually managing to spare her a glance and a small, nervous smile. Shang didn't pry, not unless it was mandatory. And he wouldn't harass this sweet, innocent girl, with questions about something he doubted she could control. Although the situation did baffle him, of course.  
Rapunzel blinked at him confusedly, before a similar smile spread across her face. Her mother had always said that the world would only care about her because of her hair and what it could do for them; she'd made it seem like no one would be interested in anything else about her so long as her hair could do what it did. Maybe she had been wrong. Of course, the Captain didn't _know_ what kind of powers her hair had. And she decided it would be best not to tell him just yet. Like he'd said, when she was ready, she would tell him.  
" I'm still a bit confused about where we're heading," Rapunzel told him, furrowing her brows over her wide eyes. She watched the trees around them that lined their path.  
Shang continued onward with an almost intrinsic sureness, as if he'd taken the route countless times before rather than it being his first. His eyes were straight ahead, his senses already establishing a sense of normal to alert him to any new threats; a mild bumpiness to the ground beneath them, the soft hum of bees and birds in the surrounding area, a reasonable wind. If it could stay this way until they could set up shelter, he'd be very grateful. " I'm heading on a quest."  
" I _know_ that," Rapunzel said with a grin, kneeling for a moment to pick a daisy from the ground before scrambling after the Captain again. " But a quest for what?"  
Shang wondered if it was too soon to divulge the deep meaning behind his trip here. But he was an open book most of the time, unless it would cause danger to those he cared about or protected. And this would do neither. Besides, a girl who was travelling with a complete stranger should at least know more about _where_ she was going. " I'm an army Captain from Northern China," he began, his mind drifting off to images of the colourful Chinese Temples back home, so different from the grey, stone buildings here. " My regiment is currently worried about an upcoming battle that may or may not take place some time soon." He shrugged, the movement stiff and rigid due to his tons of armor. " One never knows with these things, with war." He sighed, reaching up absently to pluck a leaf from one of the branches overhead. " That as it is, I'm needed back home as soon as possible. But my mother, worried about my spiritual well-being, sought advice from my ancestors. They encouraged me to take a sort of…expedition to cement my purpose in this life, giving me the strength I might need to move on to the next when the time comes."  
" Your…ancestors?" Rapunzel asked curiously, her blonde brows knitting together as she tilted her head. Her ankle got caught in her long stream of hair and she lost her balance.  
" Yes, my—" Shang cut himself off, noticing the difference in the pattern of her footfall. Spinning around, he caught her under the arms and prevented her from hitting the ground. For a moment, their eyes met, and Shang lost his train of thought. Rapunzel gripped his strong biceps to support herself, her mouth forming a small 'O' of surprise. Clearing his throat, Shang righted her again and finished his sentence. "Ancestors." He turned back around and continued, adding, " There's a spirit house for them in our family home." Now it was Shang's turn to be confused, " What do your people do to honour the dead?"  
" Uhhh…." Rapunzel, thought long and hard about this, trying to get past the earlier moment that had flustered them both. " I don't have much experience with that. It's always just been Mother and I, and well, she's still kickin'." She paused and locked her hands behind her back as she picked up her pace to walk alongside him. " But, I mean, I guess we have a funeral and bury them?"  
Shang nodded respectfully, " In China, the living often seek the guidance of the dead. And so my mother and father have it fixated in their minds that if I'm to be a good Captain, and maybe even General someday, I should travel a little first to find my great treasure."  
" Great treasure," Rapunzel grinned, nodding along happily. " I like that." She looked up at him with an endearing gaze. " That's what I'm looking for too." She thought about the floating lights and how special they were to her. She knew how she felt about them, but found it strange that the Captain could be looking for something he had never even seen or heard of before. Excitedly, she stopped in front of him, almost causing him to collide with her. " I'll help you find your great treasure if you take me to mine." She held out her hand to him with a bright grin, " Deal?"  
Shang was finding it easy to talk to Rapunzel. She was attentive and interesting, and filled with the kind of energy it was hard to come by. After wandering so far with only himself for company, it was more than just a pleasant change. It was refreshing, and for all intents and purposes, necessary. He offered her a rare, indulgent smirk, taking her soft hand in his firm one. " Deal," he told her with a nod, before adding, " So long as yours isn't the same as mine."


End file.
